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Pakistan supply routes row hits Nato summit

A row between the US and Pakistan over supply routes to Afghanistan is threatening to overshadow the summit of Nato leaders in Chicago.The two sides have been unable to reach agreement on Pakistan's conditions for reopening the routes, closed after a US air strike killed several troops.The summit goes into a second day with troop withdrawals from Afghanistan dominating the agenda.France insists that its troops will return by the end of 2012.AFP news agency quoted new President Francois Hollande as saying the issue was "non-negotiable because it was a question of French sovereignty".The handover is expected to be completed by 2014, but several other Nato leaders are under domestic political pressure to bring troops home earlier. More than 50 leaders are attending the summit, including heads of state and government from the 28 Nato countries, along with President Karzai and and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.Transit disputeThe summit is expected to endorse plans to hand over combat command to Afghan forces by mid-2013 and seek progress in opening routes for troop withdrawals.They also hope to reach a commitment on who pays how much towards funding Afghan forces after 2014.Continue reading the main storyAnalysis

M Ilyas Khan BBC News, IslamabadPakistan's ruling PPP party appears to be in a difficult spot over the issue of the reopening of the overland Nato supply routes into Afghanistan. There are many internal pressures.It desperately needs to unblock American assistance to draw up a "feelgood" budget for the next financial year, beginning 1 July, which is also election year in Pakistan.But party leaders are afraid that a decision to reopen the Nato supply routes would be detrimental to its election prospects unless other power groups support that decision.The Pakistani military, which is still seen by many as a political force, itself needs US assistance and military hardware to re-supply its ranks. But it is also accused of propping up "surrogate" Islamist groups to campaign against the lifting of the Nato blockade.These groups have now threatened a protest march if the supply routes are reopened. The PPP will be reluctant to order the lifting of the blockade unless the military sides openly with it and gives assurances that it will rein in the Islamists.

Some nations - including the US, Australia, Britain, and Germany - have pledged to contribute to an international fund to help Afghan forces after the Nato pullout.Washington is expected to pay half of an estimated $4bn (£2.5bn) needed every year.The US invited Mr Zardari to the summit, in the hope of signing a deal to reopen the Pakistan-Afghanistan border to US transport.The route was closed in November after a US drone attack killed several Pakistani troops.But in return for reopening the routes, Pakistan has called for: